Largest newspaper in US state won't print gay marriage notices

New Hampshire’s largest newspaper is defending its decision to refuse to publish marriage notices for gay couples.

The New Hampshire Union Leader of Manchester says it has a constitutional right to choose what to print. Publisher Joe McQuaid says the paper isn’t "anti-gay," but believes that marriage is between a man and a woman. He said the paper is opposed to a recent state law legalizing gay marriage.

A male couple getting married in Portsmouth on Saturday wanted to publish a marriage notice, but were refused.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Paul Hodes called on the paper to change its policy and respect the state law. He challenged Republican opponent Kelly Ayotte to denounce its decision. An Ayotte spokesman said government officials have no business telling a free press what to do.
Boston Herald...

Fran Drescher Joins Moby In Urging New Yorkers To Support Gay Marriage

PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 23, 2010

Actress Fran Drescher appears in a new ad supporting gay marriage

 in New York.

The ads, backed by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's

 largest gay advocate, feature prominent celebrities and politicians 

urging New Yorkers to join the campaign for gay marriage.

“With a voice like this, you know I got to be a New Yorker,” Drescher

 says in the ad, referring to her unmistakable nasal drawl. “But I'm 

also an American. And to me that means justice and equality and 

liberty for everyone.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of 

this page.)

The campaign has previously featured singer-songwriter Moby, 

actress Julianne Moore, fashion designer Kenneth Cole, Jeanne

 Moutoussamy-Ashe, the widow of tennis great Arthur Ashe, and

 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In his ad, Moby says, “One of the things that made me most proud of 

being a New Yorker for decades is the fact that we embrace all people

 and walks of life.”

The campaign hopes to build momentum on the issue now, ahead of

 a hoped-for vote next year to legalize gay marriage in the state after

 last year's failed bid.

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF 

'BearCity' Cast Spoofs 'Rolling Stone's' 'True Blood' Cover

 
PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 23, 2010

Stripped down and covered in honey for the cover of New York City's Nextmagazine, the stars of the film BearCity spoof the September cover

 of Rolling Stone, which featured leading stars of the HBO vampire 

drama True Blue in the raw and splattered in blood.

In its cover, the gay weekly posed Joe Conti sandwiched between co-

stars Gerald McCullouch and Stephen Guarino and replaced honey 

for blood.

The movie begins a one-week engagement at Quad Cinemas in 

Manhattan on Friday. Its DVD release, originally slated for Friday, 

has been pushed back to November 16.

In reviewing the film, On Top Magazine called the film “a sweet and 

comic romp that is sure to delight furry and hairless alike.”

In the film, svelte and hairless Tyler (played by Conti) escapes his

 twink-filled world to delve deep into New York's bear scene where he

 meets the man he's been dreaming of in playbear Roger, played by

 McCullouch (CSI: New York). Tyler plots to win over Roger during the

 three-day party called BearCity.

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF

Gay Porn Star Shane Thompson, AKA Jason Creed, Charged With Killing Dog

PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 23, 2010

Gay porn star Shane Michael Thompson, who goes by the name of Jason

 Creed, is accused of killing his dog, the Palm Beach Post reported.

Thompson was arrested on Wednesday and charged with animal cruelty. 

Officials with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office allege that Thompson

 killed his three-legged dog, Moonshine.

The twenty-year-old Thompson appears on the gay porn site Circle 

Jerk Boys under the name Jason Creed.

According to an arrest affidavit, Thompson took the remains of the dog

 to a clinic for cremation, claiming that the dog had died that morning,

 possibly due to a seizure. Veterinarians at the clinic, however, said

 they found evidence that the dog had most likely died from 

asphyxiation.

An autopsy revealed the dog had suffered severe blunt force trauma

 prior to its death.

Thompson and his roommate bought Moonshine when it was a puppy 

in February 2010. Animal control investigators had previously looked

 into complains that the puppy was being harmed, but dropped their 

inquiry because the dog appeared unhurt.

Prosecutors have asked that Thompson, who refused to appear in court

 on Friday, be held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

BY ON TOP MAGAZINE STAFF 

Canadian's Radio Host Wrist Slapped For Calling Justin Bieber A Transexual 'She-He It'

It wasn't just enough for some 12-year-old Canadian to allegedly call Justin Bieber a "faggot" during a day of laser tag. Now some Canadian radio host, Dean Blundell, is getting wrist slapped for implying the singer is — THE ULTIMATE OF INSULTS — a homosexual! The Hollywood Reporter breaks down the scandal to my north:

The Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council (the northern neighbor's version of the FCC) has slammed a Toronto radio station and its shock jock for making crude comments about pop sensation Justin Bieber and his legion of teenaged fans. The agency has just published an interesting ruling against the station, CFNY-FM ("The Edge"), that finds there is "no justification for allegedly humorous references to children in sexual contexts."

The controversy began last October with a Twitter message published by CFNY's radio host Dean Blundell about his distaste for Bieber. The host also implied the singer was gay. Bieber has one of the strongest followings on Twitter, accounting for 3 percent of all traffic on the website, according to one recent study. Predictably, Bieber's fans unleashed their venom on Blundell. Blundell tweeted back: "Save your energy for puberty or to fend off your dad tonight while you’re sleepin’.”

The exchange then became the topic of conversation on Blundell's radio show. He repeated his tweets, and several responses, and referred to one 12-year-old critic as a future "chugger," slang for a male prostitute.

Wait, this began last October? As in a year ago? That some radio host was calling a then-15-year-old a homo?

Actually, Blundell — as you can hear in the audio clip below — refers to Beiber as a "he-she" and then a "she." And then an "it." And then a "transexual." While laughing. And saying Bieber "sounds like a gay kid," should "be embarrassed" for the the sound of his voice, and that he's a "pretty good looking chick." Asked by a co-host whether Bieber is "a male or a female," Blundell responds, "I don't know. You decide."

So Canada's broadcasting bureau has reprimanded, or whatever, Blundell and his station, which hosts his "shock jock" show The Edge. It's unclear whether the punishment means a fine, or just some tersely worded paperwork.

Kids bullying kids? What award do adults get for picking on teenagers? Blundell was suspended at least once before, in 2004, when the Jackass crew stopped by the studio and pissed all over it, literally. It's time to review the options to keep Blundell off the air.

http://www.queerty.com

How Accepting LGBT People Boosts the Economy and Strengthens Neighborhoods

There are many factors you may consider when picking a place to live. How expensive is it? Is it accessible to public transportation? How many bedrooms? Is the neighborhood nice? Perhaps, in light of the recent hate crimes against LGBT people, LGBT home buyers may base their decision on whether or not the neighborhood is LGBT-friendly.

But it turns out, straight people should be considering how gay-friendly the neighborhood is, too. A neighborhood's gay population doesn't only determine how safe it is for LGBT people — it also affects house prices.

According to research by Richard Florida and Charlotta Mellander, neighborhoods with high populations of gay people are more likely to be on the upswing in terms of market values. They created a bohemian-gay index for 331 metropolitan regions in the U.S. The index measured the concentration of creative class individuals, including artists, bohemians, and gay people. They found a positive effect — after controlling for higher incomes, education levels, or population levels, a higher concentration of the creative class did correlate with higher house prices.

So why does a high gay population affect housing prices? Could their research actually be accurate?

Researchers suggest that an increased supply of creative class people improves the aesthetics of a neighborhood, making it more appealing to others. That might be a tough point to sell. How many gay people — or even artists — actually do things to improve their neighborhood's appearance? Probably some, but could it be that substantial?

The second argument makes a lot more sense. The researchers argued that the same thing that attracts artists and gay people is a quality that helps economic growth — acceptance. An accepting culture means that employers are more likely to hire the best workers instead of only hiring straight workers or other "normal" workers. Acceptance also promotes creative expression, which helps productivity by encouraging innovation. This productivity then increases incomes, which helps drive house prices up.

So perhaps closed-minded homophobic people should keep this in mind. Their anti-gay attitudes are decreasing their home values. Anti-gay hatred isn't just bad for gay people, it's also bad for the economy.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Jordan Rubenstein is the former president of Carnegie Mellon University's LGBT student organization, ALLIES. Jordan lives in New York City.

San Antonio Archdiocese Says No More Gays at Mass

For 15 years, LGBT Catholics and allies were able to worship at St. Ann Catholic Church in San Antonio. On a weekly basis these folks would filter into the pews, and honor that age-old commandment to keep holy the Sabbath. Priests and other Catholics interested in building a better relationship between the Church and the LGBT community would attend, setting aside whatever divisions might exist the other six days of the week, and focus on reconciliation, forgiveness, and a little love between neighbors.

But in a memo released by their acting head bishop, the Archdiocese of San Antonio has said goodbye to reconciliation, forgiveness, and the whole 'love thy neighbor' mission, and instead are telling LGBT people in San Antonio that they're no longer welcome in Church. Well, that is, unless they want to change their sexual orientation.

Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, the interim head of the San Antonio archdiocese, said that creating a safe space for LGBT Catholics (and their friends and families) to worship was contradictory to the tenets of Catholicism, and that simply allowing LGBT Catholics to worship as a group made Jesus weep, and could simply not be tolerated. His suggestion? That LGBT Catholics pledge celibacy if they really want to worship.

The sad part is that for 15 years this has been a non-issue, as leaders within the Archdiocese felt it more important to welcome all folks to the table, rather than exclude a heaping portion of the population. But as with many Catholic dioceses around the country, the politicization of the issue of homosexuality has taken center stage. Gone are the days where many churches can be counted on to focus on poverty, homelessness, hunger, education, and health care as their top social priorities. In are the days where church leaders want to denounce gay people, even if most folks in the pews have friends and family who identify as LGBT.

The actions of the Archdiocese, however, aren't going to keep LGBT Catholics from speaking out. Fred Anthony Garza, the President of a local chapter of Dignity, said that the definition of Church isn't a building, but rather a community of people. If the San Antonio Archdiocese won't let the LGBT community inside its doors without pre-conditions, then LGBT Catholics will just find another place to meet.

"We will continue to meet in a more welcoming environment. There are many people who believe that the Catholic Church needs to do a better job of providing care for lesbian and gay people and our families," Garza said, according to mySanAntonio.com.

His comments were echoed by local priests who interacted with LGBT Catholics, and said that the Archdiocese is missing a grand opportunity to put politics aside, and focus on community.

"We need to provide good preaching and good teaching to this community,” said Father Eddie Bernal. “I have met some of the most wonderful people in my life in Dignity. They've changed my life for the better. And I've learned so much.”

If only there were more Fr. Bernals in the Archdiocese, instead of Bishop Cantús. Send the Archdiocese of San Antonio a message that you disagree with their decision to squash a 15-year service that has had a positive impact on both straight and LGBT Catholics alike. There are so many more important issues facing our communities and our globe. Does the subject of homosexuality, and the decision by church leaders to focus on treating LGBT people like outcasts, really have to own so much space within today's Catholic Church?

It is definitely time to speak up.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Caught! Madonna's new man Brahim Zaibat revealed on night out in London with star

It seems Brahim Zaibat may have underestimated the level of attention he would receive as Madonna's new man.

The backup dancer made a bizarre attempt to hide from the cameras as he escorted his older lover out in London last night, covering his face with a scarf.

He dropped the disguise once inside his car though, giving onlookers a glimpse of her new toyboy.

Unlike her new man Madonna, 52, saw nothing to be ashamed off. She smiled at the cameras as the two left fashionable London nightclub Aura.

Caught: Madonna's new boyfriend Brahim Zaibat arrives separately from the star at nightclub Aura after dining with friends at Locanda Loccateli

Ashamed of something? Zaibat hides under his scarf as he leaves the London nightclub with Madonna last night

The 52-year-old singer was firs photographed leaving a cinema in New York with Zaibat last week, whom she is thought to have been dating for the past 'few months'.

A source told gossip website X17Online.com: 'They've been seeing each other for a few months but really keeping it on the down low. 

'Madonna did not want this getting out before she had time to see if things were really going to work out between her and Brahim or not. 

'Things have been going well so she was about to go public with the relationship anyway.'

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Facebook ads could 'out' gay users, researchers say

Facebook users may inadvertently reveal their sexual preference to advertisers in an apparent wrinkle in the social-networking site's advertising system, researchers have found.

The researchers set up six Facebook accounts, analyzing the type of advertisements served to them and way those advertisements differed based on the profile's declared sexual preference.

Two of the profiles purported to be males interested in females, and two females interested in males. Another profile was for a male interested in other males, and the last a female interested in other females. All six profiles claimed to be 25-year-olds living in Washington, D.C.

Unsurprisingly, the researchers found that ads that explicitly mentioned sexual preference, such as ads for gay bars, were served to the gay profiles. But they found that many ads that did not explicitly refer to sexual preference were shown exclusively to the gay profiles.

One example was an advertisement for a nursing program at a medical college in Florida, which was only shown to gay men.

The researchers said that persons seeing the ad would not know that it had been exclusively aimed at them solely based on their sexuality, nor would they realize that clicking on the ad would reveal to the advertiser, by implication, their sexual preference in addition to other information they might expect to be sent, such as their IP (Internet Protocol) address.

"The danger with such ads, unlike the gay bar ad where the target demographic is blatantly obvious, is that the user reading the ad text would have no idea that by clicking it he would reveal to the advertiser both his sexual preference and a unique identifier (cookie, IP address, or e-mail address if he signs up on the advertiser's site)," the researchers wrote in a paper. "Furthermore, such deceptive ads are not uncommon; indeed exactly half of the 66 ads shown exclusively to gay men (more than 50 times) during our experiment did not mention 'gay' anywhere in the ad text."

The scenario would appear to violate Facebook's advertising policy, which says "Any targeting of adverts based on a user attribute such as age, gender, location or interest, must be directly relevant to the offer and cannot be done by a method inconsistent with privacy and data policies."

A Facebook spokeswoman downplayed the study, saying that the site does not pass any personally identifiable information back to an advertiser.

Christopher Soghoian, a doctoral candidate at the School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University, wrote on his blog that Facebook could deal with the issue in a couple of ways.

The site could simply stop allowing advertisers to target ads based on sensitive information, such as sexual preference or political affiliations, or it could inform users that an ad was targeted based on a specific attribute of their profile, Soghoian wrote.

"Users should also be told, after clicking on the ad, but before being directed to the site, that the advertiser may be able to learn this sensitive information about them, simply by visiting the site," Soghoian wrote. "I suspect that neither option is going to be something that Facebook is going to want to embrace."

Saikat Guha of Microsoft Research India, and Bin Cheng and Paul Francis, both of the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in Germany.
Challenges in Measuring Online Advertising Systems...